It's time to roll out the red carpet and dust off the black tie, as South Africa stage stars get ready to gather for the 10th Naledi Theatre Awards, supported by auto & general Insurance.

The Naledi Theatre Awards is a premier awards event, and honours those who have made their mark on the stage from January 1 2012 to December 1 2012 – those who have brought theatre lovers the most magical productions, behind the scenes and in the spotlight.

The nominations are in, and those who have been nominated will spend the next few weeks biting their nails as the judges have the tough decision of deciding who the winners in each category are. This year the competition is tougher than ever, with some amazing productions and people involved.

Some of the criteria used to evaluate the productions are basic technique, how uniquely South African it is, the entertainment value, how much of a talking point it is, technical excellence and did it have magic?

The nominations are:

Best Production of Musical

The Phantom of the Opera - produced by Pieter Toerien and The Really Useful Group Limited. Directed by Harold Prince.

Jack and The Beanstalk - produced by BankservAfrica and Joburg Theatre. Directed by Janice Honeyman.

Cabaret - produced by Pieter Toerien and KickstArt Production. Directed by Steven Stead.

David Kramer and Taliep Petersen's Kat and the Kings - produced by the Fugard Theatre, Eric Abraham and Renaye Kramer. Written by David Kramer and Taliep Petersen. Directed by David Kramer.

The Naledi Theatre Awards will take place on March 18 2013 at the Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City. This year's function will be open to the public and will feature a wonderful entertainment line-up and celebrity presenters. A pre-show cocktail and glass of wine is included in ticket price, which range from R50 for students to R200. Tickets are available at www.goldreefcity.co.za.